sports from a african american viewpoint

THE 2015 NBA FINALS

Gary Norris Gray- BASN- Staff Reporter
OAKLAND, CA.- The Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers arrived at the 2015 Championship in very similar ways through the draft, going through numerous coaching changes and blowing up their rosters. The Warriors hired Mark Jackson in 2011 after a parade of coaches. Jackson instilled the art of defending and it is now paying off for the Dubs. The Dubs are a term of endearment that Bay Area fans call them. They lead the league in team defense. Not a surprise coming from the House of the New York Knicks, Mark Jackson’s caterpillar has turned into a fierce butterfly with the help of Steve Kerr’s offense.
The Cleveland Cavaliers hired three different coaches in four years, sending mixed messages to the team. The Cavs fired Mike Brown in 2010. Then Cleveland hired Byron Scott on July 1, for the 2010-13 seasons after a complete overhaul of the front office. Scott was a strict disciplinarian and wanted to restore order on the floor. It did not happen and the team went into a complete tailspin, a nose-dive. The Cavalier organization rehired Mike Brown in 2013-14 to rebuild confidence in the players. It worked and the team seemed to be playing better but the upper management wanted to go in a different direction AGAIN!
In 2014 Cleveland hired David Blatt from the Middle East and European basketball leagues. LeBron James also came back home. James left for South Beach and two NBA Championships while the Cavs stayed mired in last place of the Central Division collecting first round draft choices.
Between 2010-2012 The Cleveland Cavaliers traded starting guards Delonte West, and Sebastian Telfair, and then released second stringers guard Mo Williams and small forward Jamario Moon.
To complete the rebuilding process the Cavs drafted Kyrie Irving in the first round in 2011, then in 2011 drafted Dion Waiters in the first round. In August 2014 they signed free agent All Star Power forward-center- Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves to lure LeBron James back to the Mid-West. It worked. Love had been the double-double man, the main offense for the Wolves. He would have to change his game playing with the King in Cleveland.
Cleveland created the new Big Three in the Eastern Conference, Love, James, and Irving.
The New York Knicks also helped Cleveland by dumping guards J.R Smith and Iman Shumpert who underachieved at Madison Square Garden for salary cap issues in the middle of the season. Knick forward-center Carmelo Anthony received a new contract and Shumpert and Smith felt neglected in New York City. Cleveland had the insight to pick up both players. Shumpert and Smith were in the middle of their basketball careers and Cleveland needed shooters to relive the pressure on James. The Cavs responded with a mini winning streak. James’s passing abilities on the floor made Smith and Shumpert better shooters on the fly. This makes Cleveland a very dangerous team in the playoffs..
For Cleveland to defeat Golden State they have to put a body on Klay Thompson and Stephan Curry at the three point line. The Cavs also have to fight through the many screens and double screens set by Warrior center Andrew Bogut, forward Draymond Green, and forward Harrison Barnes to free guards Curry and Thompson.
The Cavs have to stay with their assigned man, keeping their man in front of them fighting through screen. The assignment is not letting their man go backdoor for a layup.
Cleveland’s secret weapon is starting center-forward Tristan Thompson the first round draft choice from the University of Texas in 2011. Thompson can score in bunches. He assists James in rebounds, hitting the backboards he is being called the Cavs double-double man with 36 this year. That is hard to do with teammate LeBron James rebounding too.